organic chemistry Archives

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Enceladus, Habitable Zones, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

From Early Earth to Enceladus – Mineral Electrochemistry Could Drive Organic Synthesis

by Keith CowingApril 13, 2026April 13, 2026

At some point in Earth’s history, chemistry transitioned from abiotic organic synthesis—the building of more complicated organic molecules from smaller ones by nonbiological means—to biochemistry.

Astrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Mineral-facilitated Aqueous Synthesis Of Hydrogen Cyanide From Prebiotically Abundant Amino Acids For Chemical Evolution

by Keith CowingApril 13, 2026May 4, 2026

Recent advances in prebiotic chemistry suggest that hydrogen cyanide (HCN) serves as a fundamental precursor for nearly all essential biomolecules and protometabolic processes for life’s emergence.

Geometries of the H-addition reactions on HNC leading to cis- and trans-HC•NH (reactions R4-cis and R4-trans). Distances are in Å -- astro-ph.GA

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report

Methanimine As A Sink In The HCN And HNC Solid State Hydrogenation Network

by Keith CowingApril 13, 2026April 13, 2026

We aim to provide a systematic and quantitative description of the hydrogenation network connecting HCN and HNC to methylamine on interstellar water ices, while identifying dominant pathways and bottlenecks.

Example of altimeter echo received from plains. This waveform was recorded during flyby T30 from an altitude of 1964.9 km at an incidence angle 0.0137°. Panel (a) shows a context map. Section of the T30 altimeter track observing the plains from point A to C. The waveform resulting from the integration of three echoes (Burst ID 131027162/4) located at point B is shown in panel (b) the altimetric model is used to fit the echo, resulting in an estimated RMS height of 4 m over the 115 square km footprints. The fitting error is indicated as a percentage by the mean integral relative error (MIRE). Panel (c) shows the large-scale topography of the plains using three elevation trackers, Maximum Likelihood, Threshold, and First Moment. All three trackers agree that the overall surface height changes less than 50 m over 50 km. -- JGR Planets

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Status Report, Titan

Titan’s Plains Revealed: Evidence For A Layered Surface

by Keith CowingApril 10, 2026April 10, 2026

Undifferentiated plains are the most common terrain type on Titan, yet their composition and geologic history remain poorly understood.

A) Subcluster of viral genomes within the family Microviridae. Network constructed using vConTACT3 and visualized in Cytoscape. Reference nodes are colored by genus (RefSeq and vConTACT3 predictions), while fumarole viruses are colored by sample site. Edges represent genesharing strength. The blue node (phiX174) forms a weakly resolved clade with fumarole viruses in the maximum-likelihood phylogeny based on major capsid protein amino acid sequences. B) Pairwise genome comparisons of RefSeq and fumarole Microviridae using local alignment (MMseqs2). The top row and left column indicate predicted genus assignments (vConTACT3) for fumarole and RefSeq viruses. The top-left quadrant shows RefSeq–RefSeq comparisons; the top-right shows fumarole–RefSeq comparisons (RefSeq colored by genus). The second row (genome source) is colored by fumarole sample site. The star denotes comparisons involving the phiX174 RefSeq genome. -- biorxiv.org

Analog Studies, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return, Status Report

Hawaiian Geothermal Fumaroles Contain Diverse and Novel Viruses

by Keith CowingApril 9, 2026April 9, 2026

Microbial communities of geothermal habitats are central to understanding the evolution of life on Earth. Metagenomics has provided insight into the role of viruses in shaping microbial diversity of complex […]

Chemical processes in molecular clouds, such as grain-surface reactions and reactions in the gas phase, yield fundamental molecules, such as water, methanol, and ammonia. After experiencing further processes induced by energetic particles such as vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photons and cosmic rays in the pre- or protosolar nebula stage, as well as (hydro)thermal events occurring on Solar System bodies after their formation, further complex organic molecules, such as those found in Bennu, Ryugu, and carbonaceous meteorites, may have been synthesized. (Image credit: NAOJ, NASA).

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Meteorites & Asteroids, Missions & Hardware, Origin & Evolution of Life, Panspermia, Sample Return, Status Report

Distribution Of Extraterrestrial Nucleobases, Other N-heterocycles, And Their Precursors In A Sample From Asteroid Bennu

by Keith CowingApril 8, 2026April 8, 2026

The recent discovery of all five canonical nucleobases in samples from Bennu provides compelling evidence that some of life’s ingredients were synthesized abiotically in the parent body of this asteroid […]

Molecular composition of haze samples from the N2-rich/CH4 and H2O-rich/CH4 experiments. Left panels: Very high-resolution mass spectra (m/z 150–800) of haze particles produced from the N2-rich/CH4 and H2O-rich/CH4 experiments, acquired in both positive and negative ionization modes. Assigned CHO, CHN, and CHON species are shown in red, green, and yellow, respectively, while grey data points correspond to mass peaks with no formula matched within the mass accuracy threshold (< 0.0001 Da). For each spectrum, the adjacent pie charts summarize the percentage of molecular formulas and their relative abundances based on summed peak intensities of the assigned organic species. Right panels: Corresponding van Krevelen diagrams combining matched formulas from both ionization modes, shown as H/C vs. N/C and H/C vs. O/C. Each circle represents an assigned formula, where color denotes the degree of unsaturation and marker size scales with peak intensity. -- astro-ph.EP

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

Influence Of CO Versus CH4 On Organic Haze Formation In Atmospheres Of Diverse Terrestrial Exoplanets

by Keith CowingApril 7, 2026April 7, 2026

Context. Terrestrial exoplanets are expected to host secondary, high-metallicity atmospheres derived from outgassing of volatiles such as N2, CO2, H2O, CH4, and CO. Photochemical organic hazes are likely to form […]

A summary of the CO and N2 reported in various comets with respect to parent molecule (top) and with respect to water (bottom).

Analog Studies, Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

CO and N2 Produced from H2O, CO2, and NH3 Cometary Ice Analogs

by Keith CowingApril 6, 2026April 6, 2026

Hypervolatile species such as carbon monoxide (CO) and molecular nitrogen (N2) have been detected in comets, and could be used to constrain comet formation temperature conditions if their presence is […]

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Icy Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Status Report, Titan, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Experimental Insights Into The Azotosome Hypothesis In Titan’s Lake Fluid

by Keith CowingApril 5, 2026April 5, 2026

Since the discovery of hydrocarbon lakes and seas on Saturn’s moon Titan, there has been much speculation on whether these could serve as suitable environments to host exotic life.

Carbon-silicate cycle includes a carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolution in rainwater to form carbonic acid (H2CO3) that falls on land and oceans; b reaction of H2CO3 and silicate (SiO32-) to form silicon dioxide (SiO2) and carbonate (CO32-), which is sequestered into oceanic crust for further recycling to the mantle followed by release into the atmosphere through volcanic activity; and c regeneration of CO2 through reaction between SiO2 and CO32-. Carbon fixation includes (d) reduction of CO2 to methane (CH4) through (e) the production of H2 from H2O on the surface of iron sulfide minerals that serve as sources of dissolved ferrous ion (Fe2+), which is photochemically oxidized to ferric ions (Fe3+.) in water vapor. Carbon monoxide (CO) either reacts with (f) H2O for synthesis of formic acid (HCOOH) or g ammonia (NH3) for synthesis of formamide (HCONH2). Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) formation may occur through either h reaction between CH4 and NH3 or i reaction of CH3• and N• through free radical mechanism. j HCN further reacts with H2O to produce CO and NH3.that also is produced through (k) N2 fixation under high temperatures, both can be sequestered into the mantle; l NH3 photolysis by UV radiation gives rise to N2 and H2; m hydrothermal H2 production occurs through the H2O oxidation by Fe2+ into H2 used for N2 fixation in the atmosphere. In this figure, royalty-free mountain and meteorite images designed by Freepik platform (www.freepik.com) are used. -- Nature via PubMed (open access)

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report

Redox Chemistry Of Early Earth And The Origin Of Life

by Keith CowingApril 4, 2026April 4, 2026

Multiple controversial scenarios have been proposed explaining the emergence of life, both from environmental and chemical perspectives.

organic chemistry

From Early Earth to Enceladus – Mineral Electrochemistry Could Drive Organic Synthesis

Mineral-facilitated Aqueous Synthesis Of Hydrogen Cyanide From Prebiotically Abundant Amino Acids For Chemical Evolution

Methanimine As A Sink In The HCN And HNC Solid State Hydrogenation Network

Titan’s Plains Revealed: Evidence For A Layered Surface

Hawaiian Geothermal Fumaroles Contain Diverse and Novel Viruses

Distribution Of Extraterrestrial Nucleobases, Other N-heterocycles, And Their Precursors In A Sample From Asteroid Bennu

Influence Of CO Versus CH4 On Organic Haze Formation In Atmospheres Of Diverse Terrestrial Exoplanets

CO and N2 Produced from H2O, CO2, and NH3 Cometary Ice Analogs

Experimental Insights Into The Azotosome Hypothesis In Titan’s Lake Fluid

Redox Chemistry Of Early Earth And The Origin Of Life

How High-pressure Ices On Large Ocean Worlds Can Support Habitability: The Compatibility Of Amino Acids Into Ice VI And VII

Ice Drives The Emergence Of Functional Protocells

Chemical Abundance Patterns at z=1-7: Carbon, Nitrogen, Neon, Sulphur, and Argon Abundances From JWST Spectroscopy

Optimization of Petal-Shaped Occulters for Exo-Earth Observation

Topographically Forced Stationary Waves Can Explain The Near-Surface Zonal Winds Observed By Huygens On Titan